Tennessee professor helps ID prehistoric crocodile species

Sep. 14, 2017

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The University of Tennessee says one of its professors has helped identify a species of giant prehistoric crocodiles that roamed the coasts and waterways of what's now north-central Texas about 95 million years ago.

A university news release Wednesday says Stephanie Drumheller-Horton was on the team that identified the species that grew up to 20 feet long and likely ate whatever they wanted, from turtles to dinosaurs.

The team found the fossilized bones at an Arlington, Texas dig site discovered in 2003.

The species, Deltasuchus motherali, is named for dig site volunteer Austin Motheral, who first uncovered fossils of the crocodile with a small tractor when he was 15 years old.

The university says the crocodile is the first of what may be several new species from the fossil site.